Glassware for Serious Whiskey Drinkers

Part 1 - The Rise of the Tulip

Which glass is best for serious whiskey drinkers? It’s complicated, so we’ve segmented the story; Part 1, Rise of the Tulip, Part 2 Ethanol Effects on Sensory Perception, and Part 3, Modern Science Changes the Way the World Drinks. Part 1 follows:

Late 1700s: Sherry trade flourishes.  Spanish copita (tulip glass) becomes the “dock glass” for merchants to verify sherry quality on the wharf prior to shipping. Hogsheads arrive in Great Britain for bottling, branding, and resale throughout the world. Sherry, along with the copita/tulip glass becomes the preferred drink of upper/middle class and libation of choice for social and business gatherings worldwide through late 1900s. Tulip is adopted for non-fortified table wines.

Scotch distillers promote tulips because; (1) size is small enough to hold ample serving of high ABV spirits – about 1 ½ oz. (2) existing design, no new product necessary, (3) sherry and wine drinkers have them, glassware shortage or acceptance is not a barrier to scotch sales. Scotch achieves popularity worldwide as a “deal-sealer drink” in business as well as a status symbol for the well-to-do. Scotch is so popular that distillers in India, Japan, USA, and many other countries try their hand at re-creating it, concurrently adopting tulips as their preferred glass.

1960s: Scotch distillers recognize Americans aren’t acclimated to drinking spirits straight, no mixers, ice, or water. Prohibition had unleashed a black market of illegal, dangerous, incompetent distiller products upon the population, and the cocktail was born, using fruit juice, ice, water, soda, to hide foul head and tail cuts and disguise poisonous compounds. The American concept of drinking straight spirits was “unrefined, skid-row bum, dangerous.” Americans developed strong aversion to pungent ethanol.

The European/UK nose traveled a different path. Bars had no ice, cocktails were never a necessity, and straight spirit consumption was a way of life as was the accepted tiny rim tulip. As scotch marketers realize pungent ethanol was a barrier to American scotch sales, procedures to acclimate to tulip concentrated ethanol are taught: (1) don’t swirl, (2) breathe through mouth and nose simultaneously, (3) add a little water, (4) don’t smell ortho-nasally, (5) repeatedly waft aromas toward nose as glass approaches to acclimate. Efforts pay off, as scotch and tulips gain acceptability.

1977: the International Standards Organization issues ISO 3591 Standard - Sensory Analysis Apparatus – Wine Tasting Glass. Nearly an exact copita copy, it’s the only drinking vessel standardized by ISO. Manufacturers, noting similarity to the well-known scotch copita decide to twist application to improve sales and name it the ISO whiskey glass. WSET, International Court of Sommeliers, and many sommelier training programs mistakenly designate their recommended spirits tasting glass as an ISO whiskey glass. Not a single “peep” from ISO is heard.

1980-Present: Glassmakers attempt to penetrate markets with fresh whisky glass styling, yet changes are minor. Bowl heights and diameters remain similar to copita for fear of rejection by spirits industry or consumer. Blindfolded, no one can discern aroma delivery differences between common tulip styles; all concentrate pungent, nose-numbing ethanol. Scotch drinkers everywhere favor tulips because distillers’ blenders (the professionals) use them.  

2001: Raymond Davidson, in a stroke of marketing genius, introduces the Glencairn tulip derivative, endorsed by master blenders of the five largest whisky companies in Scotland, wins the Queen’s Award for International Enterprise.

2023 State of the Art:  Glencairn is now the iconic identity badge and embodiment of tradition for whisk(e)y drinkers globally, and quickly becoming popular for other spirits. Glencairn is the superb textbook example of well-executed marketing, resulting in overwhelming worldwide acceptance.

Scientific research doesn’t find its way into commercial product design easily or rapidly. The closed scientific journal community continually discovers/publishes new information, and the sensory science field has expanded rapidly in the last 20 years; yet scientific aspects of how we smell, taste, and process flavors are slowly coming to light. As sensory science is recognized, necessary changes become apparent.

Tulip Science Prior to Sensory Science: “Science” is invented to fit tulip shape. Difficult questions create hasty, over-simplified answers.

·        Q: “Why are tulip rims so small?” A: “Small rims collect all aromas so none can escape detection.” NOTE:  40%+ of all molecules at the tulip’s rim are pungent, nose-numbing ethanol.

·        Q: “Why is it so pungent?” A: “Ethanol can’t be separated, live with it, drinking procedures help to get used to it.”

Whiskey drinkers “drink and know things” after decades of worldwide tulip use. Many false, yet commonly accepted beliefs pull us down a path to risky and unhealthy social attitudes.  In Part 2, we explore ethanol effects on sense of smell and common social perceptions.

Part 2 - Ethanol Effects on Sensory and Social Perception

Few understand ethanol’s impact on olfactory (sense of smell). High vapor pressure, low boiling point and surface tension accelerates evaporation, and it is by far the most abundant airborne molecule in whiskey. Definition: Highly volatile, anesthetic (nose-numbing), sharply pungent when concentrated (neat). Spirits = 40% ABV ethanol + 60% water and flavors.

Sensory ethanol effects: Researchers have known for years.

·        Raises detection, identification, discrimination thresholds; subtle aromas are masked, undetectable, unidentifiable, and/or indistinguishable (e.g., peach vs passion fruit).

·        Disrupts calcium ion flow, suppresses cyclic nucleotide-gated channels, delays impulse firing, slowing and suppressing sensory data flow to the brain.

·        Sharp pungency detracts from focus on detection and identification.

·        Ethanol (around 40%+ in upper headspace at rim) molecules are first to bind/block most olfactory neuron receptors, leaving few to identify character aromas (nose-blindness, olfactory fatigue, ethanol lock-out).

·        Drinker is unaware: Smell-ability degrades painlessly, unconsciously.

Experiential memory: Nose-blindness occurs without warning. Evaluating several samples, we may notice: “I don’t smell anything!” or “I can’t identify this smell” or “They all smell the same” eventually one asks, “It’s whiskey, what should I smell?” Experiential memory caches sensory, visual, emotional, and conversational details of previous experiences, and when asked, acts as a “personal safety net” to provide information for situational problems, yielding a possible answer: “...recently you noted oak, floral, honey, mild spices.” Re-smelling to verify the suggested aromas, you may concede detection, true or not. Congratulations, you are validating your past tastings, diverted away from objectively evaluating your sample. Stop, wait for 5 minutes, allow mucous flow to refresh, then retry.

Innate group social-psychological influences: Spirits educators avoid these issues.       

Why are so few women whiskey club members? Female olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) are 43% more abundant than male, female protect/nurture instincts are much higher. Ethanol pungency raises caution alarms when smelling from tiny-rim tulips. Few female tulip users sniff whiskey ortho-nasally, preferring retro-nasal sampling from the oral cavity diluted by saliva, to avoid pungency.

·        Less olfactory-sensitive males don’t mind pungency and clubs are primarily a fraternal male bonding scene with membership signified and validated by using the ritual fraternal tulip icon. Cross-gender peer pressure, “do what we do,” is common with obvious items like choice of glassware, no doubt contributing to the growing number of “women only” whiskey clubs.

·        At 17 USA country-wide spirits events, we performed 2,914 A-B comparison tests of a glass engineered to divert ethanol versus a tulip containing the same spirit. Results: 87% males, 98% females preferred the engineered glass, with a 97.5% data confidence level. However, at all events we’ve attended, well over 95% of whiskey drinking males use tulips, the universal signal of recognition, to affirm “Hi, we’re fraternity brothers.”

·        Widespread macho attitudes (higher proof = manlier) exist regarding ethanol; strikingly similar to attitudes toward hot peppers or tequila shots “Stronger (or more) is better.” 

§ “Avoid ethanol” drinking procedures solve tulip ethanol problems

§ High proof = high quality = better whiskey, cask strength is best

§ High pungency means high proof (quality). “Of course its pungent! It’s good stuff, man up and drink!”

§ High price = high quality (higher proof = higher cost)

§ Whiskey buyers always check proof/ABV first.

§ Tulip glasses must be scientific, if they weren’t, no one would use them. Tradition = truth.

From the very first tulip sniff, the emphasis is on strong, pungent, olfactory ethanol. It’s not too difficult to understand how misconceptions regarding ethanol become fact in the absence of science or proper education, especially to the majority of drinkers with only a superficial drinking interest, and no interest in whiskey appreciation.

Industry education is a failure: Unhealthy attitudes aren’t ever directly addressed, yet without tacit rejection, they become surreptitiously inferred and assumed through decades of widespread, long-time tulip use which repetitively reinforces pungent ethanol on every nose with every sniff as the expected benchmark of the spirits tasting experience.

Brand ambassadors, spirits industry educators, WSET, and sommelier courses employ tulip glasses to educate, yet do not teach sensory or ethanol’s influence on social group mentality. These discussions consume time, divert from priorities of buying, selling, and distributing whiskey, and few are willing to risk their reputations by rejecting the accepted tulip norm. Sadly, the simple “dock glass” tulip may have created/perpetuated more problems than solutions. As well as our society accepts and promotes drinking, it is a shame we have left the true issues so unfinished with our “let someone else do it" attitude.

A simple sensory engineered glass design provides an alternative by; (1) enlightening drinkers, distillers, and educators to better quality and a higher level of enjoying spirits, (2) dispelling aberrant social attitudes, (3) supporting gender equity and inclusion, and (4) raising the quality standard, all by reducing up-front olfactory ethanol. In Part 3, Modern Science Changes the Way the World Drinks.

Part 3 - Modern Science Changes the Way the World Drinks

George F Manska (CR&D Arsilica, Inc.)

Glass shape controls olfactory perception and may affect social attitudes. At least 20 years of sensory science is still being ignored by the spirits industry. Application of sensory, physical, and chemical sciences definitely improves spirits drinking enjoyment, consumer perception, and has potential to improve quality.

Science Addresses Problems Using Tulips: The tulip has required much adaptation in drinking procedures (see Part 1) to avoid pungent, nose-numbing ethanol. These procedures are taught by industry executives, brand ambassadors, expert credential certification courses and hospitality college curriculum courses. Procedure is followed by scientific rebuttal:

1)     Don’t swirl. Swirling is the “engine” that powers evaporation. Swirling breaks surface tension and releases aromas, that’s exactly why wine drinkers swirl.  Narrow bowls restrict swirling, narrow rims restrict larger mass molecules from reaching the rim for detection. Wide rims, short height, and fat bowls means better swirling.

2)     Breathe through mouth and nose simultaneously.  Mouth intake is air only, no spirit aromas; the nose detects aromas. Lower inhale velocities result in lower ethanol on the nose, but also fewer aromas. If ethanol wasn’t present, inhaling through nose only with (mouth closed) maximizes olfactory aroma exposure. Close the mouth, use a glass which does not concentrate ethanol at the nose to get the best experience.

3)     Add a little water. Most common spirits are 40% ABV (ethanol alcohol by volume). Water and character molecules make up 60% of the spirit volume. Ethanol is the most volatile component and evaporates the quickest. Water has a higher surface tension and shuts down all aroma evaporation, giving the false impression that it “opened up” the spirit because pungency is gone. Further complicating the issue, blenders add a lot of water (more than 1oz water to 1oz of spirit) to prevent nose numbing and avoid distracting pungency - that high ratio changes the spirit’s aroma profile. All because no one will search for a better glass.

4)     Don’t smell ortho-nasally. Although many avoid ortho-nasal to escape pungency with tulips, it does alleviate anxiety by confirming the sample is safe to ingest, and also sets expectations for the palate tasting.

5)     Repeatedly waft aromas toward nose as glass approaches nose to acclimate. Wafting or “shaking hands” gradual introduction may acclimate to pungency, but does not decrease ethanol olfactory effects, and sense of smell stealthily continues to degrade with every sniff from tulips without warning.

These “Crutches” to avoid ethanol pungency would never exist had tulip suitability been questioned early-on, but what were the alternatives? Worse than tulips, snifters are the ideal glass for “huffing” ethanol for a quick “high.” The centuries old open-rim Scottish quaich (pronounced quake), and the Oaxaca gourd cuppa dissipated ethanol well, as do martini and cocktail glasses. Within traditional glass shapes a large, wide mouth tumbler is best, and swirls well. The only shape ever scientifically engineered is NEAT, specifically designed to divert ethanol and enhance aroma detection, identification, and discrimination.

NEAT (Naturally Engineered Aroma Technology) Science: NEAT employs Graham’s Law of Gaseous Diffusion to separate pungent, low mass ethanol from high mass character flavor aromas. Passing the aromas through an orifice (neck) increases ethanol separation and dispersion. Flare controls dispersion rate. Yellow (ethanol) is bad on the nose, Orange (character aromas) is good. Other benefits include:

·        Wide bowl, engineered to produce better swirling and aroma release

·        Rim size places nostrils at rim plane center with lips on rim, avoiding ethanol. No more tiny rim/nose bumps.

·        Short height gets nose closer to source of evaporation.

·        Orifice “neck” forces aroma closer together to create dispersal and separation.

·        Large, flared rim controls ethanol dissipation to the rim, greatly reducing pungency, displaying more intense, ethanol-free flavor/character aromas for critical evaluation and identification. No more pungency or nose-burn.

·        Blenders no longer have to alter the aroma profile to avoid pungency.

·        Elite version includes heavy base heat sink for improved temperature control and handling.

The necessary “hump” in the glass coupled with the wide rim flare can dribble if not mastered (similar to martini glass), a small price to pay for the greater benefit of enjoying neat spirits without pungent, nose-numbing ethanol. Spirits buyers seldom detect subtle differences in tulip glasses. With NEAT, aged, rare, and cask strength spirits are at their best. NEAT is the Official Judging Glass of over 45+ International spirits judging competitions annually. Since 2013, 200,000+ spirits judged, 80,000+ quality medals awarded.

Summary: Industry and consumer benefits are positive and meaningful as NEAT (1) embraces social responsibility by dispelling unhealthy attitudes long reinforced by tulips which concentrate ethanol, (2) addresses gender equity, (3) contributes to quality improvement, and (4) raises consumers’ product perception level by unmasking what hides behind ethanol. Time for a cool change. Being a club member has its advantages, and serious whiskey drinkers need the best diagnostic glass. Serious whiskey drinkers can be both.

Bio:  George F Manska, CR&D, Arsilica, Inc.

Qualifications:  Published sensory science researcher, entrepreneur. BSME, NEAT glass co-inventor

Mission: Replace myth and misinformation with scientific truth through consumer education.  

Comments Welcome - Contact:  george@arsilica.com, phone 702.332.7305. 

 More Information: www.theneatglass.com/shop